North Hall rabies case marks No. 38 this year

Hall County has recorded its 38th case of rabies this year, continuing an unprecedented epidemic of the fatal disease in wild animals.

According to Hall County Animal Control, on Tuesday a skunk came into contact with a dog and a cat in the area of Claude Parks Road in North Hall.

The skunk's remains were shipped to the Georgia Public Health Lab in Decatur, which confirmed Thursday that the skunk was infected with the rabies virus.

Animal Control director Mike Ledford said the dog was current on its rabies shots, so it will not need to be quarantined. He said the cat was already in poor health, so the owner chose to have it euthanized.

Hall residents are urged to vaccinate their pets against rabies if they have not already done so.

Anyone who observes a wild animal behaving strangely, which may be a symptom of rabies, should notify Animal Control at 770-531-6830.